Rin'

Rin' is an all-female Japanese pop group which combines traditional Japanese musical instruments and style with elements of modern pop and rock music. It is a female trio of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music alumni who graduated in 2003. The band made their performing debut in December 2003, at Meguro Gajoen, and in April 2004, their first single, called Sakitama, was released by avex trax.

Chie Arai and Mana Yoshinaga play koto, sangen, and jushichi-gen, while Tomoca Nagasu plays biwa and shakuhachi. All three perform vocals.

According to the band's website, the name Rin' comes from the English word 'ring', the Japanese word Wa (和, meaning both 'ring' and 'Japanese-style'), and from the trio's hope to create a 'ring', or circle, of music.

Since their debut, the band has performed in many venues around the world, and have released four singles and several albums. A number of their songs have been used as themes for anime and movies, most notable is Fuhen used in the Samurai 7 anime.

Their chief international album, Inland Sea, was released worldwide: in Europe and the United States on April 25, 2006 and in Japan on August 30, 2006, featuring guest performances by Leigh Nash and Lisa Loeb.

According to the band's website, as of 13 February 2009, Rin' had put an end to their activities and decided to disband.

After 10 years, the group announced their reunification on their official websites on March 8, 2019, and thereafter released the single Koumyou in the same year, held a number of concerts, and released a new album HORIN in 2021. .

Members

 * 'Mana' Yoshinaga (吉永 真奈) (born November 20, 1979) - vocals, koto, sangen, jushichi-gen
 * 'Tomoca' Nagasu (長須 与佳) (born December 22, 1978) - vocals, satsuma biwa, shakuhachi
 * 'Chie' Arai (新井 智恵) (born May 10, 19??) - vocals, koto, sangen, jushichi-gen

Singles

 * 1) Sakitama (Sakitama～幸魂～) (7 April 2004)
 * 2) Sakitama (Sakitama～幸魂～)
 * 3) Jikū (Instrumental) (時空(Instrumental))
 * 4) Sakitama (Instrumental) (Sakitama～幸魂～(Instrumental))
 * 5) Yachiyo no Kaze (八千代ノ風) (30 June 2004)
 * 6) Yachiyo no Kaze (八千代ノ風)
 * 7) Release
 * 8) Yachiyo no Kaze (Instrumental) (八千代ノ風(Instrumental))
 * 9) Release(Instrumental)
 * 10) 新井智恵 乱舞～二条城～.jpga Sakura (サクラ サクラ) (20 April 2005)
 * 11) Sakura Sakura (サクラ サクラ)
 * 12) Sakura Sakura (instrumental with shakuhachi and shamisen) (サクラ サクラ(Instrumental with 尺八・三味線))
 * 13) Yume hanabi (夢花火) (31 August 2005)
 * 14) Yume hanabi: Rin' Three Pieces (夢花火: Rin' Three Pieces)
 * 15) Yume hanabi (夢花火)
 * 16) Flashback: Rin' Version
 * 17) Yume hanabi: Instrumental (夢花火: Instrumental)

Albums

 * 1) Jikū (時空) (12 May 2004)
 * 2) Jikū (時空)
 * 3) Sakitama (Sakitama～幸魂～)
 * 4) Yachiyo no Kaze (八千代ノ風)
 * 5) Fuhen (普遍) (featured as the ending theme to the anime series Samurai 7)
 * 6) Miyabi (雅)
 * 7) weakness
 * 8) Dōshin (道心)
 * 9) Smile On: English ver.
 * 10) Will
 * 11) Sai no Kami (サイの神)
 * 12) Eternal
 * 13) Asuka (飛鳥) (29 September 2004)
 * 14) Asuka (飛鳥)
 * 15) Bibō no Kuni (美貌の國)
 * 16) The Grace
 * 17) Kamen (仮面)
 * 18) Kurenai (紅)
 * 19) innocence
 * 20) Kochō no Yume (胡蝶之夢)
 * 21) Nomado
 * 22) Kagami Tsuki (鏡月)
 * 23) Tenka (天華)
 * 24) Hanafubuki (花吹雪)
 * 25) Asukagawa (明日香川)
 * 26) Sarasōju (沙羅双樹)
 * 27) Hanging in there
 * 28) Rin' Christmas Cover Songs: Seiya (～Rin' Christmas Cover Songs～聖夜) (14 November 2004)
 * 29) Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
 * 30) Last Christmas
 * 31) Rin' Xmas Medley: Silent Night / 赤鼻のトナカイ / I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus / Jingle Bells / We Wish You a Merry Xmas / Silent Night
 * 32) Koukyōkyoku Daikyūban (交響曲 第九番)
 * 33) Christmas Eve (クリスマス・イブ)
 * 34) Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrence
 * 35) White Christmas
 * 36) In My Life (First edition-only bonus track))
 * 37) Utage uta/Sakura Sakura (宴歌（うたげうた）/さくら さくら) (Live album, 30 March 2005)
 * 38) Inland Sea (released in U.S./Europe on 25 April 2006, in Japan on 30 August 2006)
 * 39) New Day Rising (feat. Leigh Nash)
 * 40) Solemn
 * 41) What the Rain Said
 * 42) Never Knew What Love Meant (feat. Leigh Nash)
 * 43) Moss Garden
 * 44) Anti Hero (feat. Lisa Loeb)
 * 45) Inland Sea
 * 46) Sea of Tranquility (feat. Leigh Nash)
 * 47) Superflat(Part II)
 * 48) Past Imperfect
 * 49) AA170
 * 50) Niji Musubi (虹結び) (Japan-only bonus track)
 * 51) Inland Sea -Special edition- (Includes 2 CDs and a DVD. The first CD is the same like the normal Inland Sea CD without track 12. So here is only the track list of the second CD. The DVD includes the videos of Anti Hero, Sakura Sakura (サクラ サクラ), Inland Sea Spot and Samurai Heart)
 * 52) Sanzen Sekai (三千世界)
 * 53) Jikū (時空)
 * 54) Asuka (飛鳥)
 * 55) Sakitama (Sakitama～幸魂～)
 * 56) Akatsuki No Sora (暁の契)
 * 57) Niji Musubi (虹結び)
 * 58) Bibō no Kuni (美貌の國)
 * 59) Dōshin (道心)
 * 60) Tenka (天華)
 * 61) Hanafubuki (花吹雪)
 * 62) Utage Uta (残花)
 * 63) Genji Nostalgie (源氏ノスタルジー) (5 December 2007)
 * 64) Murasaki No Yukari, futatabi (紫のゆかり、ふたたび)
 * 65) Genji
 * 66) Sennen No Niji (千年の虹) (feat. alan)
 * 67) Ranka (乱華)
 * 68) Na Mo Naki Hana (名もなき花)
 * 69) Asaki Yume Mishi (浅キ夢見シ) The title comes from the poem Ihora (Ihora-uta) (jap. いろは歌 ; 伊呂波歌)

DVD

 * 1) "Utage: Rin' First Live Tour 2004 Jikū" (歌宴: Rin' First Live Tour 2004 "時空") (17 November 2004)

Other

 * 1) Rin' featuring m.c.A・T Flashback (31 August 2005; used in Kamen Rider Hibiki & The Seven Senki)
 * 2) Crossover Japan '05 CD/DVD (28 September 2005)
 * 3) Provided traditional instrument sounds to the backing track for the single Samurai Heart [侍 Heart] recorded by Japanese pop band AAA. Released December 2006 by Avex Trax music as part of a double A side single package called Black and White, which featured the tracks Samurai Heart and Winter Lander. (Rin' only play on 'Samurai heart' and track is credited to AAA, not as a Rin' single).
 * 4) In 2008 Rin' collaborated with Japanese composer Conisch on the soundtrack to a Japanese TV drama series called Hana goromo yume goromo　「花衣夢衣」. This resulted in an album of this music being released through EMI Music Japan (4 June 2008). Although this work is not acknowledged on the Rin' websites (as it is released by a record label different than their usual Avex Trax), the group get equal title credits, appearing as Rin' & Conisch. The album has 34 tracks, lasts 69 minutes and mixes Rin's traditional Japanese instruments with a full western orchestra.